A slow burn for sure but I loved every second of it!! A great domestic suspense with a lottt of family drama. 5 stars

The Stepfamily is a solid domestic thriller with a compelling premise and strong character development, especially in protagonist Laura. Traymore captures the tension of blended family life well, and the shifting perspectives add some depth. However, the plot is somewhat predictable and the pacing lags in places. A decent read for fans of the genre, but it doesn’t offer many surprises.

2.5 stars rounded to 3

I was into this book until about 2/3rds of the way through. Then I just felt like it got messy and rushed with a bunch of stuff thrown in that didn't make a whole lot of sense. The mystery build-up of who was trying to kill Laura kept me interested, but the ending just wasn't very satisfying.

Thank you so much this was brilliant really wish I hadn’t sat on this and had read it sooner.
I look forward to reading more by Bonnie,
Read this book!

Bonnie Traymore’s The Stepfamily is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities and dynamics within blended families. With a sensitive approach and well-drawn characters, Traymore delves into the challenges, emotional struggles, and unexpected joys that arise when two families come together under one roof.

The novel follows the journey of Sarah, a woman who finds herself navigating the delicate terrain of her new stepfamily after marrying widowed father, Tom. As Sarah settles into her new role as a stepmother to Tom’s children, she faces numerous obstacles—from building trust with the kids to learning how to balance her relationship with Tom and the emotional baggage they both carry. The book’s strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of these relationships, where each family member's individual struggles and growth are explored in depth.

Traymore captures the emotional rollercoaster of becoming part of a blended family with empathy and realism. Sarah’s struggles with finding her place in a family that wasn’t hers from the start are portrayed with authenticity, and the author doesn't shy away from addressing the challenges of blended family life, such as navigating loyalty issues, dealing with ex-partners, and forming new bonds. The emotional complexity of being a stepparent—both the rewards and the frustrations—are woven seamlessly throughout the narrative.

What makes The Stepfamily particularly engaging is how it highlights the different perspectives of each family member. It’s not just Sarah’s journey, but also Tom’s, the kids', and even the ex-spouses’—all of whom are intricately woven into the storyline. The story is about finding common ground and learning how to love and respect each other despite the difficulties of merging different lives and histories.

The pacing is steady, with an engaging mix of heartwarming moments and realistic struggles. However, at times, the resolution felt a little too neat, especially given the complex emotional terrain the characters had been navigating. Still, the resolution offers a sense of hope and closure that will appeal to readers who appreciate stories of personal growth and family bonds.

**Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable thriller and well written mystery. Not the edge of your seat read but more a slow burn family drama with that underlying sense of suspense throughout. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this book, which was my first by Bonnie Traymore and I can’t wait to check out more of her books.

It was honestly hard for me to get into this one. Although the plot was very intriguing, it felt super slow burn to me and I could not get past that. The storyline made it seem like this was going to be more engaging and thrilling but it did not live up to that.

I really loved this book, it got you hooked from the first few pages which I love, such an intriguing story and so many twists and turns, it had you thinking one way and then another that you could not leave it down, at the end of each page you just had to read on and on. I love a book like this that had the characters life’s together and unfolding there life’s bit by bit. Would really highly recommend this book for a very interesting read.

I love a good thriller! This book gives Lifetime Movie Club vibes of which I am a fan. If you enjoy formulaic writing, then you may find this book quite intriguing.

At first this reads like a typical domestic thriller but there's definitely more to this than it seems. It's like taking a detour and you think it's a bit of a rough paved road only to find out when you've committed to your decision that the pavement ends and the gravel starts. The plot is solid, the characters are easy to like/dislike, and the descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the thick of things.

Very easy read. I felt the characters could use more development and definitely would be interested in more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. This was a great page turning suspense novel, and Bonnie Traymore is an amazing story teller. This novel kept me in my toes, wanting more, and every storyline here was smooth and believable, very important. Definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book but It just all comes to a head and then it’s over. Just felt like the build-up was so long in the making and then the important part was rushed slightly.

The editing was spot on with no errors spotted to interrupt the flow of reading. The writing that jumped between different narrators and first- and third-person point of view made the action more present. While I enjoyed the book, i wouldn’t say I loved it, but i would definitely read more from the author as I liked the writing style.

Thanks for the opportunity to read it !!

It’s Laura Foster’s time. She raised her stepchildren, Lydia and Carson, after their mother died and helped her husband, Peter, with his work while putting her career on ice. Now she is back in the business world and doing well, the kids have grown up and left, and her training for the next Iron Man is spot on.

But strange accidents keep happening to Laura. The type of accidents that could get her killed. Is it a jealous coworker? Is it someone from Peter’s or even her own past? Or is it closer to home? As Laura starts investigating, she realises that Peter has not been as forthcoming as she thought about his past. A small lie told many years ago could be deadly...

It’s a quick read and while there were thriller elements involved, I’m not sure it was as much a psychological thriller. It goes into state of mind and the after-effects but I still didn’t feel it went that deeply.

The character I enjoyed the most was Shackler, the PI. Definitely not as slow as other characters made him out to be. But to be placed in the position he was at the end was not right at all.
Peter annoyed me with his lies and constant worrying. Considering Laura’s life was on the line, he really should have said something. His work, however, redeemed some of it!
I found Lydia’s attitude change toward Laura very quick and her character was not as genuine as I’d hoped.

The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that could continue or not. So it wasn’t that awful feeling when you get to the end and the book runs out. I thought the leap to “someone is trying to kill me” from brake fluid on the ground was a bit far. With the potholes around here, your whole tyre could have come off and no one would have batted an eyelash. The final confrontation was too quick. It all comes to a head and then it’s over. Just felt like the build-up was so long in the making and then the important part was rushed.

The editing was great with no glaring errors to interrupt the flow of reading. The writing that jumped between different narrators and first- and third-person POV made the action more present. While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t love it, but it is a good afternoon read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Traymore for the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately, this one was not for me and I only made it through 40% of the book and just couldn't continue. In my opinion the characters weren't well developed or likeable and not much happened in the 40% of the book I pushed through. I do still encourage others to give it a try. Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean others won't like it and hopefully the last 60% really picks up but I just couldn't push myself to read anymore.

Thank you NetGalley, Bonnie Traymore, and Pathways Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I should have read this before reading the second...opps! The description of this book sounded so much more intriguing than that of the second book. I was able to read this in one sitting and the characters are likable. A great thriller to start out with reading if you are new to this genre of books.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller! It's about a blended family with secrets that keep you guessing what is going to happen next. This is the first book I've read by Bonnie Traymore. I think she did a great job writing the story. It kept my attention, making me wonder what was going to happen next and who was behind everything going on.

New to this author but definitely like the style. Combo 1st person and third person helps us see alot of points of view yet keep with the main person's story.
Here, we have a step family with step mom having her life put on the line with no clear motive or assailant.
Alot of the story has to do with the death of the 1st wife and mistress. Lots of twists and turns, the PI hired delves deep into backgrounds and finds secrets better left secrets.

All in all its a good book. I would recommend it.

I really wanted to like this so much more than I did. The description of this had so much potential that I feel like the actual book never met. I’ve read plenty of books where the main character’s perception of events is questioned based on an unstable mental state, but this was a case of the main character and everyone else in her life immediately jumping to the furthest conclusion possible for no obvious reason. For at least the first 2/3 of the book, I struggled to get through it. I knew something shady was going on, but more because the characters in the book were telling me and not because the story was truly showing me. I felt compelled to finish simply because I knew there wouldn’t be a book unless something happened. Overall, this just wasn’t for me. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

First in the Silicon Valley series, it must be noted that the series is a location series, not a character based series. This is a flight or fight thriller as well as a domestic thriller. A prominent family has been threatened and when it escalates to attempted murder, they hire a private investigator for answers. However, some questions should never be answered when past secrets are buried so deep. Twist at end nails it!! Enjoyable thriller and I look forward to next in series.